The 50 Films Every Child Should See Before They Turn 11 – Part1

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Film non-profit compiled the ultimate list of family-friendly movies.

The 10 Films Every Child Should See Before They Turn 11

From sweltering heat waves when it’s just too hot for playing outside, to personal under-the-stars screenings in the backyard, summer is filled with opportunities for families to sit down and watch a movie together. But finding a clean, fun movie that the whole family can enjoy can end up being quite a Herculean task. Thankfully a UK film education charity has compiled what it deems to be the ultimate list of best family-friendly films.

Into Film, a film education charity based in the UK, released a list of the top 10 films every child should see before they grow up. According to a press release from the charity, the 50 movies were selected from a catalog of 3,000 family movies and commended for their exploration and “discussion around complex topics such as diversity, bullying, adjusting to change, tackling moral complexities, bereavement, friendship, embracing being different, growing up, and facing adversity.”

Though the list is from the U.K., it includes many American films, both classic and new. Movies chosen were based on 10 criteria: its suitability for family viewing (having something that will entertain everyone in the family), timelessness (themes and characters that resonate beyond one generation), innovation (new movie making techniques as well as venturing into new storylines and concepts), life lessons (morals and lessons that help develop the watcher’s social skills and peer interactions), education (film widens watcher’s worldview), relatable characters (protagonist is a good role model for children), emotional engagement (develops understanding of emotional situations and issues, as well ask sparks feelings), audience reception (positive reception from target audience and critics at time of launch), diversity (stories from different time periods, parts of the world, genres, and show different types of people), and entertainment factor (immensely rewatchable and stand out above other films). See the full list below (and where to watch!) and head to Into Film’s site for more information.

Top 50 Films Every Child Should See Before They Grow Up
(Part 1)

1. 101 Dalmatians (1961)

Available to buy on DVD or Blu-ray on Amazon.

101 Dalmatians has charmed audiences for generations with its irresistible tailwagging stars, memorable story and wonderful blend of humour and adventure. Cruella De Vil, Disney’s most outrageous villain, sets the fur-raising adventure in motion when she dognaps all of the Dalmatian puppies in London — including 15 from Pongo and Perdita’s family. Through the power of the “Twilight Bark”, Pongo leads a heroic cast of animal characters on a dramatic quest to rescue them all in a story the whole family will enjoy again and again.

2. A Little Princess (1995),

Available to rent or buy on Amazon.

Review from Amazon:

“I grew up on this movie. It was always my favorite movie and still is at 18 years old. I watched this movie so much as a kid that I learned how to play Kindle My Heart on the piano, just by ear. This movie is set back in 1905, and shows some real life events that took place at the time. Very good movie. I would recommend this movie to anyone who has a daughter, I think they would love this move!”

3. Annie (1982)

Available to rent or buy on Amazon and stream on Netflix.

America’s favorite orphan dreams of life outside the orphanage. Based on the smash hit Broadway musical.

Review from Amazon:

My daughter just loves this movie.She wants to watch it over and over.I’m happy that she can still love such a classic movie even now in 2016.

It’s larger than life and really over produced but you know what, who the hell cares? It’s fun, killer songs, The cast is mesmerizing and it’s still as fun to watch today as it was years ago.

4. Babe: The Gallant Pig (1995)

Available to rent or buy on Amazon

It’s the award-winning story of a shy little pig who doesn’t quite know his place. With the help of an assortment of barnyard friends, Babe discovers that he can be anything he wants to be!

Review from Amazon:

Despite a couple of small oversights in this production, Babe is one of the best movies I’ve seen. The art, direction, photography, lighting, it’s all perfect. The animals are done so well it’s hard to tell when you’re looking at animatronics instead of live animals. The story is a neat twist on the underdog/discrimination story we’ve seen so many times. It’s a great family movie that can be watched for pure entertainment or one that can be used as a teaching tool by looking a little deeper at the story itself. Again, the thing that grabs me about this movie most is the lighting and photographic direction, just beyond what most movies bother with.

5. Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Available to buy on DVD or Blu-ray on Amazon.

Be our guest at the 25th Anniversary celebration of Beauty and the Beast! Embark on an epic adventure with Belle, Beast, all the characters you love and the music you’ll never forget in this new addition to the Walt Disney Signature Collection.

6. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)

Available to rent or buy on Amazon.

Get ready for an exciting serving of endless fun and world-wide food disaster of epic portions for the entire family!

7. Coraline (2009)

Available to rent or buy on Amazon

An adventurous girl finds another world that is a strangely idealized version of her frustrating home, but it has sinister secrets.

8. Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010)

Available to rent or buy on Amazon.

A live-action adaptation of Jeff Kinney’s best-selling illustrated novel, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID chronicles the adventures of skinny “middle child” Greg Heffley over the course of a school year, as told through his diary and hand-drawn cartoons.

9. Dumbo (1941)

Available to rent or buy on Amazon.

Baby Dumbo soars to fame as the world’s only flying elephant.

10. E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982)

Available to rent or buy on Amazon.

Journey back to the magic and adventure of “one of the great American films” (Leonard Maltin) in this beloved tale of a lost alien and the 10-year-old boy who helps him find a way home.